Device for positioning the needle cams of a hand-operated knitting machine



3,090,214 oNING THE NEEDLE CAMS oF ATED KNITTING MACHINE wu I R sm RD mm A I w D 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1960 May 21, 1963 3,090,214

W. BRM DEVICE FOR POSITIONING THE NEEDLE CAMS OF A HAND-OPERATED KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mlm.-

May 21, 1963 Filed June 8, 1960 W. DEVICE FOR POSITION A HAND-OPERATE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Eig' .7 74 a "5 /7 22 25 Q @il I C? ff l z 42 22 24 4a 74 fc 75 w 'i '25 c 44 4/ ,45 /7 22 E? 25 d l l 1 42 23 24 43 f4 i@ f5 May 2l, 1963 W. BRM DEVICE FOR POSITIONING THE NEEDLE CAMS 0F' A HAND-OPERATED KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3,090,214 DEVICE FR POSITIONING THE NEEDLE CAMS OF A HAND-OPERATED KNITTING MACHINE Walter Brm, Dietikon, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Feliz-Holding AG., Zug, Switzerland Filed .lune 8, 1960, Ser. No. 34,819 Claims priority, application Switzerland .lune 17, 1959 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-60) The present invention generally appertains to improve ments in hand-operated knitting machines and particularly relates to a novel and improved apparatus for positioning the needle cams of such knitting machines, such as the needle cams shown in Patent No. 2,718,130, to Hofner dated September 20, 1955.

Previously known devices of this type had a selector disk or dial, the axis of which was vertical to the lock. This had the result that the space for arranging the actuating members for the individual needle cams was not sutlicient to select a large number of different needle cam positions since a selecting movement in a narow or constricted space carried out in the plane of the lock and, thus, at right angles to the direction of actuation of the needle cams required such a large number of transmitting levers that either the number of selectable needle cam positions had to be substantially limited, or recourse had to be made to cumbersome and complicated constructions.

One object of the present invention is to simplify considerably such an actuating device and, at the same time, -to establish the possibility of being able to bring the needle cams into an increased number of different positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for positioning needle cams of -a hand-operated knitting machine, the means including a single -actuating rail carrying a plurality of pawls which are selectively lockable with cam rails 4for eifecting the shifting of the needle cams.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel means for positioning needle cams of a knitting machine, the means including a plurality of individual cam rails which are relatively thin and are disposed in side-by-side relation, and a single actuating rai-l having a plurality of pawls thereon selectively engageable with each of the cam rails to effect the shifting of the cam rai-ls, as desired, whereby, in turn, the needle cams are likewise shifted and thereby positioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for adjusting the position of needle cams of a hand-operated knitting machine, which means includes an actuating rail which is shiftable and which is selectively interlocked with a plurality of different cam rails, and there being provided blocking means for preventing the shifting of the actuating rail when the means for selecting one of the cam rails to be moved by the actuating rail is in an intermediate position.y

The apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, for the actuation of the need-le cams is characterized by a number of cam or control rails which are displaceable in a lengthwise or longitudinal direction 'by an actuating device and by a selector for the alternate coupling of one of the cam or control rails with the actuating device.

One embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is shown by way of example in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a longitudinal section, through a lock of a hand-operated knitting machine provided with the device of the present invention and is taken along the line I-I of FIG. 2;

States arent FIG. 2 is a corresponding top view with the cover of the actauting rails cutaway;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line III-III of F IG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. '2;

FIG. 5 shows a portion of a cross-section corresponding to FIG. v1 of another embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the variant shown in FIG. 5;

. FIG. 7 shows side views of the individual cam rails; and,

FIG. S shows -schematically the needle cams actuated by the cam rails in accordance with FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGURE 1, numeral 1 represents the cam box plate which is bent over Aat its longitudinal edges, the bent edges 1a (in FIG. 1 only one thereof is visible) serving as guide surfaces which cooperate with corresponding stationary guides (not shown) of the frame of the apparatus so that the lock and the needle ca-m actuating device can be moved back and forth transverse to the direction of movement of the needles which are supported in longitudinally displaceable manner in a needle bed, which is also not Shown in the drawing. To the bottom of this cam box y1, a U-shaped frame plate 2 is fastened by means of its leg portions or bent edges 2a, this plate serving essentially for attaching the needle cams and for supporting the means necessary for their displacement.

On the top of the cam box 1 there is Ifastened a U-shaped bearing member or supporting body 3 with arms 3e extending away fro-m the needle bed. Within the bearing member, there is held a number (5 in the embodiment shown) of cam rails ia-4e, respectively, which are displaceable lengthwise between the bottom 3b of the bearing member and the cover 5a of an actuating rail 5 which is also of U-shape. The arms 3a of the bearing member 3 and of the actuating rail face each other and the arms of the bearing member enter between those of the actuating rail so that the bearing member and actuating rail together form -a rectangular guide body, which is substantially closed on all four sides, for the cam or control rails `4 (see FIG. 4). The :actuating rail 5 forms a part of an actuating device. On its right-hand end, as seen in FIG. 1, the arms 5b are extended in a longitudinal direction over the cover 5a to form two extensions 5c, on the inner side of each of which there is arranged a separate lug 3c, extending upward above the plane of the cover 5a, of the two arms 3a of the bearing member 6. Finally, an actuating lever 10, which passes through an opening 11 in the bottom 3b of the bearing member is swingably supported on a frame plate edge 2a. This actuating lever 10, the extension 5c, and the lugs 3c are each provided with a slot, the slots being in registry to receive an actuating bolt 6. Each of the lu-gs 3c is provided with a longitudinal slot 7 parallel to the cam box 1, and the actuating lever 10 is provided with a slot 8. The extensions 5c of the actuating rail 5 are provided with a slot 9. The slots 8 and 9 extend at an angle tothe slot 7 and, in the case of the slot 8 it extends in the geometrical axis of the lever. The actuating bolt is yheld in every direction transverse to its axis by the slots which extend at an angle to each other and is secured against longitudinal displacement by a head 6a and a `setting ring 6b. As a result of this arrangement, upon a swinging of the lever 10, the actuating rail 5 is displaced relative to the bearing member 3, the angle of this rotary motion being limited by the length of the slot 7.

Atits other end (fthe left-hand end in FIG. 1) the actuating rail 5 also has two extensions 5d which extend laterally above -the cover 5a and are connected with each other by `a pin 12. Between these extensions, there are located extensions 3e of fthe bearing member, each of which is .provided with a corresponding longitudinal slot 13 which corresponds in its length -to the slot 7 and through which slot 13 -the pin 12 passes. This pin 12 serves as a pivot axis for coupling pawls 14 (14a-14e), each of which is associated with one ofthe cam or control rails 4a-4e. Each coupling pawl is provided with a spring 1'5 which rests against the top of 'the cam box plate 1 and urges the corresponding pawl to swing in a coun-terclockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 1), i.e., to raise nose 16 of the pawl out of engagement with a corresponding tooth 17 of the cam rail associated with it and thus open the coupling (shown in FIG. 1) between the corresponding pawl and its cam rail. The pawls are then subjected to the action of a selector which has a camshaft =19 which is held in two bearing lugs 3d of .the bearing member and can be yrotated by means of Ia selector wheel '118. This camshaft consists Iof a number of cam disks 20 (20u-20e) corresponding to -the number of coupling pawls 14 and cam or control rails 4. Each cam disk has a radially protruding projection 21a-21e, the projections of Iall cam disks being staggered angularly with respect to each other. The reciprocal position of the camshaft 19` and of the coupling pawls 14 is so selected that in their active position (which is true in FIG. 1 with respect to the pawl 14a), they swing the corresponding pawl in clockwise direction -in FIG. -1 in opposition :to the spring 15, so that the nose 16 of said pawl engages fthe tooth 1'7 lof the corresponding cam rail 4 :and 4thus connects said cam rail with the actuating rail 5.

Depending on the needle cam movement to be produced by a cam rail 4, these cam rails are provided with a number of control surfaces 22-25 (four in the example shown in the drawing). These control surfaces lie in part (22 and 25) on a front or rear extension (42 and 43 respectively) of the cam rails, the front extension 42 also bearing the tooth -17 while the others are arranged within openings 44 and 45, respectively. They extend either parallel to the cam box plate 1, in which case no actuation of needle cams takes place, or else lie in an inclined manner when the needle cam in question is to be raised. Cylindrical 4rollers 34-37 cooperate with these control surfaces. The rollers have shafts 30-33, which are held in the bearing-body arms 3a in slots 2li-129 at right angles to the bottom 3b -of lthe bearing body. Each of the shafts 30-33 passes through one of the lifting rarns 38-41 arranged between the cam rails 4b and 4c. The lifting rams are guided in longitudinally displaceable manner in the cam box plate '1a rand in the frame plate 2a and are subjected to the Vaction of springs 46-49, the springs tending to hold the corresponding rams in their lower position. The ends of the ram 38-41 Ifacing away from the rollers 34-37 are connected Awith the needle cams Sti-53, Ithe needle cams 50 and 5:3 being used as catching flaps or 'tuck swing cams, while the needle cams 51 and 52 are used as hose tlaps or vtubular swing cams in the embodiment shown.

'From this construction, it results that when a given needle earn position is desired, the selector kwheel 18 must be brought into such a position that the cam bar 4 co-rresponding to this movement Iof the needle cam is in engagement with the coupling pawl 14 corresponding to it, in a manner that Ithe projection 21 associated with said pawl presses -the pawl 14 into the coupling position against fthe Eaction 4of itsspring 15, i.e., brings the nose 16 thereof into engagement with the tooth 17 of the corresponding cam rail. If it is assumed lthat all of the needle cams 50^53 are to be raised out of lthe active position, the selector wheel 1-8 is turned into a position which is iden-titled for instance by a suitable legend, in which position the projection 21a brings the pawl 14a or its nose 16 into engagement with fthe 'tooth 17 of fthe cam or control rail 4a. If the actuating lever 10 is now swung in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. l, the actua-ting rail 5 moves to the left Within the bearing body 3 in FIG. l. The pin 12 which is rigidly connected lwith the actuating rail 5 also moves to xthe left within the slot 13 so that this movement is transmitted to all the pawls 14. However, of these pawls, only pawl `14, corresponding to the setting of .the selector wheel 1S and the bringing into operation thereby of fthe projection 21a, is coupled with the cam rail 4a corresponding Ito it. The result is that of all the cam rails, only the rail 4a which has been selected will also :be displaced. Since this cam rail 4a has four rising control surfaces 2-2-25 (cf. also FIG. 7a) all lifting rams 38- 41 are lifted against the action of their springs 4=6-49, the rollers 34-3'7 being guided on the said oblique control surfaces 22-25. As a result, the needle cams 50H53 are raised and there is obtained, with respect .to these needle cams, Ithe posi-tion shown in FIG. 8a where, corresponding to the showing selected in FIG. 8, the inactive needle cams are indica-ted in dotted line.

For example, in order to produce the needle cam position shown in FIG. 8b, in connection with which only the catching flap or tuck serving needle cam 50 has been raised, the actuating lever 10 is rst 4of all swung back towards the right (FIG. l) whereby the cam rail 4a is also pushed back by =the stop surface 54 of the pawl 14a into the starting position shown in FIG. l. Thereupon, the selector wheel 18 is set at the desired type of knitting or needle cam position, in which case the projection 2lb now couples the pawl 14h with the cam rail 4b corresponding .to it so that upon the following swinging of 'the lever 10 toward the left, the rail 4b is moved to .the left until the rollers 34-37 move onto their control surfaces 22-25. Of these control surfaces, however, only the control surface 22 is la rising surface, so that only the ram 38 and with it the catching flap or 4tuck swing cam 50l is moved upward.

In this way those tuck swing cams or catching flaps and tubular aps or swing cams which correspond to the desired knitting process can be made inactive as desired. The live possibilities present in the case of the embodiment shown in the drawing can be noted from FIGS. 7 and 8. Thus, the selection of the cam rail in accordance with FIG. 7c results in a needle cam position in accordance with FIG. 8c, the selection in accordance with FIG. 7d results in a needle cam position in accordance with FIG. 8d, and the initiation of action of the cam rail according to FIG. 7e produces a needle cam position in accordance \with FIG. 8e. The provision of the cam members as cam rails which lie alongside of each other and are acted on by a camshaft parallel to the cam box plate has the result that the number Vof these cam rails and thus the number of needle cam positions which can be selected is extremely large.

The control of the needle wing cams 55-57 is shown, in the embodiment shown in the drawing, only with reference to the central needle wing cam '56. It is assumed that by means of the cam rail 4a not only are all needle cams Sil-53 lraised but, furthermore, also the central needle wing cam 56 is raised. For this purpose, the cam rail 4a is provided on its underside with a cam projection 58 which extends into a corresponding recess in the cam box plate 1 and around which a freely rotating roller 59 is mounted. This roller extends between the forked ends of a double-armed lever 60 which is swingable about a bolt 61 anchored in the cam box plate 1 while its other end, which is also forked, lits around a corresponding lroller 62, the shaft 63 of which is rigidly connected with a guide rail 64. This guide rail is providedcorresponding to the cam rails 4-with guide surfaces, not shown, which in the same manner by means of springloaded rams raise the central needle wing cam 56- or leave it in i-ts lower, active position.

In the same way the two lateral needle wing cams S5 and 57 can also be controlled, in which case when an independent control is desired, a double lever 60 as well as a guide rail 64 is associated with each of these lateral needle wing cams, in which connection this double-armed lever would be coupled with dierent cam Vrails 4.

In IFIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a variant of the connection between the lifting rams and the cam lor control rail. The main difference from the embodiment described previously is that the guide surfaces are not arranged on the cam rail itself, but on an auxiliarly rail 65. This auxiliary rail 65 is connected with the control rail 4 (corresponding to one of control rails 45t-4e hereinabove described) by means of a lateral projection 66 of the auxiliary rail which projection engages in a recess or cut-out 67 of the cam rail 4', whereby its movements are transmitted to the auxiliary rail. The auxiliary rail is guided by a bolt 68 fastened to the lframe plate 2 and extending into a slot 69 of the .auxiliary rail 6'5. The guide surface is formed by an upwardly-directed, angular bulge 70 in which there extends a guide slot 71 which is parallel to the direction of movement Iof the cam rail 4' and into which there extends a spring-loaded lifting -rarn .72, which in this Way is raised and lowered, corresponding to the rising guide surface 70 by means of its head 72a and a spring 74. The movement is transmitted, as in the first embodiment, to a needle cam, for instance the catching flap or tuck swing needle cam 50, which is swingable about the fulcrum 73. Each needle cam is similarly connected to an auxiliary rail which in turn is engaged by a corresponding control rail. FIG, 3 shows a blocking device for blocking the cam rails when the selector wheel 18 and the camshaft 19 are in an intermediate position. This blocking device consists of a special cam wheel 75 which is rigidly connected with the camshaft 19 and which has a number of projections 76 equal to the number of cam rails 4, the number of said projections and their angular distance apant, as Well as the relative position of the cam Wheel 75 to the camshaft 19, being so selected that in each position of the camshaft corresponding to a given needle cam position, as well as in the zero positionof the selector Wheel 18, a projection 76 enters into a notch 77 of a locking pawl 78. The notch 77 is located in the central part of the loclcng pawl 78, one `end 78a of which is in the form of a hook and engages into a corresponding opening in the bottom 3b of the bearing body and a corresponding opening of the cam -box plate 1 in order to anchor the locking pawl. On the side of the notch 77, facing away from the hook-shaped end, the locking pawl 78 has a release slot 79 which corresponds to the longitudinal slot 13 and is continued toward the notch in a locking slot Sti which extends upward at an angle. The slot 79-80 receives, in the same way as the slot 1'3, the pin 12 which forms the fulcrum for the coupling pawls 14. Below the slot 79, the base 78h of the locking pawl 78 rests against a spring 811 which is held in a recess of the ibottom 3b and rests on the cam box plate 1.

The depth of the notch, the shape of the surfaces defining it, as well as the height of the projections 76 are s0 selected that when a projection leaves the notch, the locking pawl is forced down against the action of the spring 81, with the result that the pin i12 enters into the locking slot 80. In this position, this pin blocks any movement of the actuating rail 5 'with the extension 5b to which the pin 12 is rigidly connected. The unblocking is possible only after a projection 76 by its passage into the notch has permitted the raising of the lifting pawl 78 by the spring 81 so that the pin 12 can again enter int-o the release slot 79, in which position the aforementioned displacement of the actuating rail 5 with respect to the bearing body 3 is again possible.

This blocking device accordingly blocks the actuating rail whenever the selector wheel 18 is not in the zero position, or a position in which one of the paWls 14a- 14e, couples the actuating rail with one of the cam rails 4a-4e.

Furthermore, the blocking device in addition also effects the locking of the selector Wheel 18 whenever the actuating rail Sis in the rest position (at the left of FIG. 1). In this position the pin 12 is at the left-hand end (in FIG. l) of the release slot 79 i.e. in the part of the slot parallel to the direction of movement of the actuating rail. This means that the locking pawl 781 also can move in this direction and not in a direction at right angles thereto which possibility of movement, which is afforded in the'right-hand active position (in FIG. 1) by the locking slot `Stil fonrns the prerequisite for the possibility of turning the selector wheel 18.

It results from this that the blocking device has a double action, in that the actuating rail can only be moved when the selector wheel is in a corresponding position, and the selector wheel on its part can be turned only in the rest position of the actuating rail.

In the manner described, it is made possible to select a plurality of combinations of the needle cam actuation from a single point Without the construction of the apparatus in question being thereby made excessively cumbersome. Furthermore, the locking means described make it possible to prevent both a displacement of the actuating rail and a turning of the selector Wheel as soon as they are not in the correct position or are not operated in the correct sequence.

I claim:

1. In a straight frame knitting machine with at least one needle bed having needles disposed therein and a lock with needle cams for moving the needles when reciprocated along the needle bed, a patterning device for adjustably moving the needle cams selectively into and out of action, said patterning device comprising a U-shaped bearing member, a U-shaped cover movably mounted thereon, means for displacing said cover relative to said member, cam rails movably mounted between said member and said cover, first coupling means for coupling said rails with said needle cams, second coupling means for coupling said rails with said cover, and means for selectively coupling one of said second coupling means with one of said rails.

2. In a straight frame knitting machine with at least one needle bed having needles disposed therein and a lock with needle cams for 4moving the needles when reciprocated along the needle bed, a patterning device for adjustably moving the needle cams selectively into and out of action, said patterning device comprising a Ushaped bearing member, a U-shaped cover movably mounted thereon, an actuating lever swingably mounted on the lock and extending through an opening of said member, a longitudinal slot on said lever, extensions at one end of said cover, lugs at the same end of said member, a vertical slot in each of said extensions, a horizontal slot in each of said lugs, said slots receiving an actuating bolt, cam rails movably mounted between said member and said cover, first coupling means for coupling said rails with said needle cams, second coupling means for coupling said rails with said cover, and means for selectively coupling one of said second coupling means with one of said rails.

3. In a straight frame knitting machine with at least one needle bed having needles disposed therein and a lock with needle cams for moving the needles when reciprocated along the needle bed, a patterning device for adjustably moving the needle cams selectively into and out of action, said patterning device comprising a U- shaped bearing member, a U-shaped cover movably mounted thereon, means for displacing said cover relative to said member, cam rails movably mounted between said member and said cover, control surfaces on said rails, lifting rams biased in their lower position and supporting the needle cams at their lower end, said rams being endwise movably mounted, shafts extending through said rams and supporting rollers in contact with said control surfaces, the ends of said shafts being borne in vertical slots of said member, second coupling means for coupling said rails with said cover, and means for selectively coupling one of said second coupling means with one of said rails.

4. In a straight frame knitting machine with at least one needle bed having needles disposed therein and a lock with needle cams for moving the needles when reciprocated along the needle bed, a patterning device for adjustably moving the needle cams selectively into and out of action, saidkpatterning device comprising a U- shaped bearing member, a U-shaped cover movably mounted thereon, means for displacing said cover relative to said member, cam rails movably mounted between said member and said cover, first coupling means for coupling said rails with said needle cams, and rails having a nose at one end, extensions in said cover at the same end, extensions of said member at the same end provided with longitudinal slots, a pin extending through these slots and fixed to said extensions of the cover, coupling pawls swingably mounted on said pin having each a nose and cooperating each with one of the rails, springs biasing said paWls in a position out of Contact with said rails, lugs at the same end of said member, a camshaft bearing in said lugs, cam disks on said camshaft each corresponding to one of said pawls, and a selecting wheel fixed to Said camshaft to actuate said camshaft to select said carn disks.

5. In a straight frame knitting machine with at least one needle bed having needles disposed therein and a lock with needle cams for moving the needles when reciprocated along the needle bed, a patterning device for adjustably movingv lthe needle carns selectively into and out of action, said patterning device vcompris-ing a U-shaped bearing member, a U-shaped cover movably mounted thereon, an actuating lever svvingably mounted on the lock and extending through an opening of said member, a longitudinal slot on said lever, extensions at one end of said cover, lugs at the same end of said member, a vertical slot in each of said extensions, a horizontal slot in each of said lugs, said slots receiving an actuating bolt, cam rails movably mounted between said member and said cover, control surfaces on said rails, lifting rams biased in their lower position vand supporting the needle cams at their lower end, said rams being endwise movably mounted, shafts extending through said rams and supporting rollers in contact with said control surfaces, the ends of said shafts being borne in vertical slots of said members, said rails having a nose at one end, extensions in said cover at the same end, extensions of said member at the same end provided with longitudinal slots, a pin extending through these slots and fixed to said extensions of the cover, coupling pawls swingably mounted on said pin having each a nose and cooperating eac-h with one of the rails, springs biasing said pawls in a position out of contact with said rails, lugs at the same end of said member, a camshaft bearing in said lugs, cam disks on said camshaft each corresponding to one of said paWls, and a selecting Wheel fixed to said camshaft to actuate said camshaft to select said cam disks.

6. In a straight frame knitting machine with at least one needle bed having needles disposed therein and a lock with needle cams for moving the needles when reciprocated along the needle bed, a patterning device for adjustably moving the needle cams selectively into and out of action, said patterning device comprising a U- shaped bearing member, a U-shaped cover movably mounted thereon, cam rails movably mounted between said member and said cover, first coupling means for coupling said rails with some of said needle cams, second coupling means for coupling said rails with said cover, third means for coupling some of said rails with other needle cams, and means for selectively coupling one of said second coupling means with one of said rails.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4 together with a blocking device for blocking the cover against shifting in intermediate positions of said camshaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 941,206 Popp Nov. 23, 1909 1,534,973 Leviton et al. Apr. 2l, 1925 1,747,464 Burson Feb. 18, 193() 1,992,982 Zippel Mar. 5, 1935 2,122,239' Robaczynski June 28, 1938 2,718,130 Hafner Sept. 20, 1955 

1. IN A STRAIGHT FRAME KNITTING MACHINE WITH AT LEAST ONE NEEDLE BED HAVING NEEDLES DISPOSED THEREIN AND A LOCK WITH NEEDLE CAMS FOR MOVING THE NEEDLES WHEN RECIPROCATED ALONG THE NEEDLE BED, A PTTERING DEVICE FOR ADJUSTABLY MOVING THE NEEDLE CAMS SALECTIVELY INTO AND OUT OF ACTION, SAID PATTERING DEVICE COMPRISING A U-SHNAPED BEARING MEMBER, A U-SHAPED COVER MOVABLY MOUNTED THEREON, MEANS FOR DISPLACING SAID COVER RELATIVE TO SAID 